Non-Profit leaders from across the Americas to participate in 2023 American Express Leadership Academy

Common Purpose, in partnership with American Express, today is delighted to announce a new class of 77 high-potential non-profit leaders from across the Americas who have been selected for the 2023 American Express Leadership Academy. The program relaunched this year with a new curriculum to help non-profit leaders accelerate their development and build new skills to meet the unique challenges that the world is facing today.

"There is a real need to provide skills and development opportunities to non-profit organizations and their leaders, particularly when these challenging economic conditions can mean that training budgets are often one of the first areas to be cut," said Adirupa Sengupta, Global Chief Executive, Common Purpose. "The American Express Leadership Academy is invaluable in helping delegates from across the Americas to come together with U.S. business leaders to develop and hone core skills and provide crucial support networks and inspiration to the sectors high potential leaders."

"We have long believed in the power of purpose-driven leaders in addressing society’s most pressing issues and driving positive impact,” said Alice Lin Fabiano, Vice President of Community Impact, American Express. "Since its launch 16 years ago, the American Express Leadership Academy has helped more than 165,000 social purpose leaders around the world reach their potential and we are excited to continue with our refreshed curriculum that will focus on personal resilience and building their profiles as influential social leaders."

The six-month Academy will be conducted by Common Purpose in partnership with American Express, with programming support from community partners, the TED Foundation and Taproot Foundation. The theme of this year’s program is "Resilient Changemakers" and will kick off in New York City with further academies to follow in Europe and Asia later in 2023.

The program is designed to give non-profit leaders from diverse specialities and organizations a unique opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, address current and future challenges within the sector, as well as gain insight from key leaders in social, public, and private sectors.

This class of non-profit leaders comes from the United States, Canada, and Latin America, and will represent 65 organizations working in areas such as climate and green spaces, education, health, disability, LGBTQ+ support, mental health, homelessness, and equity.

The participants are:

1. Adali Hernandez Barragan, Corporate Partnerships Manager, The Trevor Project
2. Adrienne Smith, Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, United Way of Salt Lake
3. Aisha Addo, Founder - Director of Programs, Power to Girls Foundation
4. Aleah Moore, Founder, Chief Business Operations, Boss Women Matter
5. Alexandra Francis, Deputy Chief Program Officer/ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Co-Chair, Center for Urban Community Services
6. Alexandrea Horsley, Founder/Executive Director, The Lullaby House
7. Andrew Gleason, Senior Director Gender Equality & Social Justice, Save the children US
8. Ann Mazur, CEO, EveryMind
9. Anna, Broughel, Director of Energy Leadership, Clean Energy Leadership Institute
10. Ashley Lahoud, Director of Development and Public Relations, Northside Center for Child Development
11. Becky Kekula, Senior Director, Disability Equality Index, Disability:IN
12. Biructait Mengesha, Director of International Operations, YouthBuild USA
13. Cat McAfee, Executive Director, LaAmistad Inc.
14. Charaun Cash, Executive Director, VOX ATL
15. Corey Manning, Director of Mentoring, YouthBuild USA
16. Craig Robinson, Founding President, Matriculate
17. Dana Lee, Regional Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Europe and the Americas, Generation You Employed Inc.
18. Danielle Hodges, Senior Program Manager, Data & Quality Improvement, Camden Coalition
19. Deuntate Copeland, Executive Director, National High School Basketball Association
20. Di Gao, Senior Director of Research & Development, National Trust for Historic Preservation
21. Ebele Onyema, Director of Digital Content & Partnerships, The One Love Foundation
22. Edurne Balmori, Executive Director, The Trevor Project
23. Elvis Ndansi, Founder & CEO, Unite for Health
24. Erica Blum, Senior Director, Special Events, Central Park Conservancy
25. Ernesto Nunez Lagos, Co-Founder and Board Member / CEO & Founder, Iluminemas por el Autismo / Love4all
26. Farhat Jilalbhoy, Senior Director, Strategy, Save the Children US
27. Flavia Barros, Senior Director, IA Operations, Data Analytics and Fiscal Management, American Museum of Natural History
28. Francisca Williams-Oni, Senior Director of Advisory Services, Grads of Life (Parent Year Up)
29. Genevieve Nowak (Rattray), Director of Environmental Initiatives and Affairs, Belle Isle Conservancy
30. Guli Ruzmetova, CFO, Generation You Employed Inc.
31. Jaclyn Clark, Director of Development, Florida, Best Buddies
32. Jacqueline Mouret Shiraishi, Executive Director, Debra Mexico
33. Jameelah Stuckey, Program Director, Tulsa Community Foundation
34. James Stratford, Senior Executive Leadership Consultant (Functioning as Chief Strategy + Impact Officer), A Second Chance Inc.
35. Jason Acosta, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Hispanic Scholarship Fund
36. Jazmin Carrillo, Director of Programs, The Resource Foundation
37. Jessica Cihal, Associate Vice President, Learning and Strategy, The Leadership Academy
38. Jessica Sager, Chief Executive Officer, All Our Kin
39. Joelle Espeut, Director of Programming, The Normal Anomaly Initiative Inc.
40. Joshua Rodgers, Beloved Community Volunteer Engagement Manager, Habitat for Humanity International
41. K Baja, Director, Direct Support & Innovation, Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN)
42. Kala Harinarayanan, Vice President of Human Resources, American Museum of Natural History
43. Kaleena Escallier, Senior Manager, Community Strategy, YMCA of the USA
44. Kate Bartholomeusz, Director of Development, Grameen Foundation
45. Kate Greavette, Executive Director, York Region Food Network
46. Katherine Kelley, Global Director of Learner Engagement, Generation You Employed Inc.
47. Katherine Taveras, Program Director, Food Education Fund
48. Kathleen, Bodenlos, CEO, Discovery Gateway Children's Museum
49. Kevin Mathiasz, Director of Partnerships, Pinball Clemons Foundation
50. Keyana Marshall, Director of Development, Dallas Theater Center
51. Kimberly Swartz, Director, Community Engagement, Taproot
52. Lara Bach, Director, Advisory Services, Year Up Grads of Life
53. Lasheena Williams, Chief Enthusiast Officer of Nonprofit Enthusiast and Founder and Board Chair of L.O.V.E Our Youth, L.O.V.E Our Youth
54. LaToria Thomas, President and CEO, United Way of Northwest Louisiana
55. Lee Lina, Co-founder & Executive Director, Communities Resist
56. Lilia Haua Miguel, CEO, Fideicomiso Pro Bosque de Chapultepec
57. Lindsay Jackson, Director of Leadership Giving, Plan International USA
58. Luis Abreu, Director of Park Maintenance, Central Park Conservancy
59. Manu Mireles, Secretaria General, Asociación Civil Mocha Celis
60. Maria Fernanda Sierra Perea, Co-Founder & Chief Program Officer, Propel
61. Mario Gutierrez, Director, Financial Empowerment and Advocacy; and Director, Special Initiatives, New York Legal Assistance Group
62. Matt Clark, ESG Strategy Lead, FHI 360
63. Matthew Aliberti, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives Fund, YMCA of the USA
64. Matthew Clarke, Executive Director, Design Trust for Public Space
65. Megan Dougherty, Director of Psychotherapy Initiatives, Housing Works
66. Meisha Porter, President and CEO, The Bronx Community Foundation
67. Michael Berry, Executive Director, Youth Guidance
68. Natasha Campagna, Director of Operations & Special Projects, DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan
69. Nora Reissig, Vice President of Development & Programs, Exodus Transitional Community
70. Patrick Hendricks, Director of Development, West Side United, Rush University Medical Center
71. Phil Carroll, Senior Vice President, Communications, Smile Train
72. Quinn Bingham, Vice-President and Chief Development Officer, Pathways to Education Canada
73. Raquel Jiménez Acosta, Global Action Director, Reforestamos México
74. Shane Cox, Chief Strategy Officer, Anthos Home
75. Theresa Grant, Chief Executive, Make A Difference Now
76. Vien Tran, Senior Manager, International Projects, Ocean Conservancy
77. Zachariah Hennessey, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Public Health Solutions